Flashlight torch



J. a, LIPPINCOTT FLASHLIGHT TORCH Feb. 8, 1949.

Filed May 14, 1945 Patented Feb. 8, 1949 Finsnmcn'r 'roncn Joshua GordonLippincott, ScarsdaleQN. Y assignor to Guth, Stern & 00., Inc., acorporation of New York Application May 14, 1945, Serial No. 593,636

This invention relates more particularly is directed to portableflashlights or, torches of improved construction having an annular orring type of operating switch.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve flashlightsor torches of the character described which shall comprise few andsimple parts that are readily assembled to form a rugged yet attractiveappearing structure, which assembly lends itself to forming a designedarticle appealing to the eye, which shall be inexpensive to manufacture,and which shall be practical and eflicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out. The invention accordingly consists of featuresof construction combination of elements and arrangement of parts whichwill be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and ofwhich the scope of the application will be indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawing in which shown an illustrative embodiment ofthis invention:

Fig. 1 is a longtitudinal sectional view taken centrally through aflashlight torch showing the interior construction made to embody theinvention.

' Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged detailed cross-sectional views takenthrough the head portion on lines 2-2 and 3-3 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the headportion as shown in Fig. 1 showing the improved ring operating switch,refiector and incandescent lamp holder construction.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I denotes an improved handflashlight of improved construction having an annular or ring typeswitch embodying the invention. As seen from Figs. 1 and 4, saidflashlight Ill has a one-piece tubular casing portion II integrallyformed with closed bottom I la and an open or top end I I b for housingone or more electric battery dry cells I2 having insulating outerwrappers I2c of conventional construction and also has a lens cap I3secured to said casing portion open end III) by suitable means-such asscrew joint IA. The latter has an exterior thread IIc formed on theouter surface of the casing portion open end IIb adjacent and up to therim edge thereof for engaging with interior thread I3a provided on adown turned flange I3b of said lens cap I3. The latterpreferjab1y.;.hasthe l ns o c ve portion I30 thereof 3 Claims. (Cl.240-10138) to flashlight devices, and

integrally formed with the flange I3b all shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The batterycasing portion II and the lens cap I3 preferably ismolded ofa suitable plastic material of any well known composition that can bemade transparent as for use of said lens cap I3 and with a colored bodyas desired for the use of the casing portion II, and finished all overincluding said threads 0 and I3a without machining to theexactproportion and shape as required. Said molded material forms a relative-1y rigid structure yet has a suflicient degree 'Of give to counteractshocks due to blows and rou h handling without being fractured orotherwise damaged, thus providing a so-called shockproof or unbreakable"structure.

Seated on the rim of easing open end IIb and positively secured in placeby the lens cap I3 there extends an outturned flange rim I5a of ametallic reflector I5. The latter carries to extend within the casingportion, a centralized holder portion I5b which has removably mounted toextend downwardly therethrough a thimble I6, through which projects thebase IIa of an incandescent lamp I1 positioned in the assembledflashlight ID with a center contact I'Ib cf said lamp base Ilaelectrically connected with a center or carbon contact terminal I2a ofthe battery cells I2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The thimble I6 may bemade of metal, wood, or plastic ma terial and may be partially split asat I6a to provide a frictional fit between centralized holder portionI51) and the lamp base I'Ia so as to releasably retain the thimble I6against extending contact flns. I'Ic of the shell of lamp base I'la forsecuring an electrical connectionof said fins I'Ic with the reflectorI5, and to firmly. hold said lamp I! in a steadied relatively fixedpositionwith respect to the effective front surface of reflector I5. Tofacilitate removal of the thimble I5 and lamp II, the thimble I6 maybeyformed with finger grip wings'or flange IBb.

The lens cap I3 which includes the lens or cover portion I- 3c"as wellas flange 13b preferably is made of a single piece of transparent moldedplastic with said interior threads I3a thereof formed to screw ontosaidexterior casing threads IIc to assure clamping the reflector rim flangeI512 as described above. The latter. jmay be formed with spaced radiallyextending: lugs I adapted to engage with the threads 130. so that whenthe lens cap I3 is removed; the reflector I5 carrying the lamp "will beremoved therewith as a unit and can be replaced as a unit in the wellunderstood manner,

Embodying the invention a rotary type of switch means of improvedconstruction is provided in the electric circuit between the zinccontact terminal lZb of the lower battery cell l2 and the lamp I!through the reflector i and a conductor jumper strip 20. Said switchmeans comprises an annulus or ring member l8 encircling the exterioropen top casingend 'l lb which has an inturned flange 18a, the latterretaining said ring member I8 on said casing end llb for turningmovement against an exterior abutment shoulder l3d provided on the lenscap flange l3b as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Said ring member l8 may alsobe provided with a-striker orshoe I80 radially inturned into the casingH to extend toward the exterior side of the reflector l5, the

wall of said casing ll being cutFaWayFat lid:-

to permit limited rotary movement as is indicated in Fig. 3 by thedouble ended arrow with oil and on circuit markings,

The circuit from the lower or vzinc'battery cell contact terminal l2b isextended throng-ha helical spring wrestin on'the interior casing bottomIla, which spring 19 provides a resilient electricalconnection with saidlower zinc cell terminal I21) and one end 20a of conductor'jumperstrip--20. The latter may be made of suitable spring bronze or theequivalent-and-is securedby suitable means, such as a rivet 2! extendingthrough the wall of casing H adjacent to the bulbous-or bulged portionthereof which forms saidtop or open head end Hb asshown in Figs. 1 and-4.

' The free end portion 20b of said strip 20 extends above the rivet'zlinto said casing open head Hb preferably is made with a slight twist outof the plane of the portionfofsaid strip below said rivet 2 I so thatthe striker or shoe 180 on being rotated with the ring 18 forswitching'from off to on circuit position engages the twisted free endstrip portion *z'lib and' causes -the extreme blade end 20p to; makescraping contact electrical connection withfthe exterior side of thereflector as 's'ln wnjn- Figs] 3 and 4. This scraping contact in'closingpr the-circuit by the strip end'ZOc thr uth'the efleq qr i ue tt m d car l ming movements or shoe 48c on the strip poiltion 'Zilb whichis effective against torsion stress of the twist structure of said stripportion 2 1 tbfproducts quick making and breaking of thecircriits onrotating the ring l8.

"Fromthe above description and the drawing the prast ql operation it thfla h ght ench it is nowapparent, After thejparts have been pro- 7 videdand assembled as has been describedabove,

the'battery cells I Zor the lamp l7 may bereplaced by simply unscrewingthe lens cap l3 from the bulbous casing head I lb. The reflector lfi with the lamp II will come off, with the lens cap is as'a unit and thelamp. I! may be replaced by simply withdrawing the thimble lfi'from theholder l5b.

'Ijhe assembled flashli h, torch ID may be switched on and off byrotating 'the' It in the. directions shown. by the arrow inFig; The onswitch-position of the ring {8 swings the" shoe 180 to cam the stripportion 28b forcing the end 211:; thereoi to scrape contact thereflector th r by onne i nd om l in e cult to light the lamp l'ljas isclear from; Figs. 1, 3 and 4'. The oil switched positionof ring Illswings the shoe lac laterally away from the strip portion b releasingthe latter so that 'the end '2Dcswings' away from the reflector-l5. 7 Tofacilitate handling said switching ring I8, the

4 latter may be provided with a knurled surface in the form of a centralgrip band [801 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

It is thus therefore seen that there is provided an improved flashlighttorch in which the objects of the invention are achieved and which arewell adapted to meet all conditions of practical use. r; Y 1 a'A's"-'vaiit t'i's possible embodiments may-be made in the invention foruse for difierent purposes and as Various changes might be made in theembodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all the abovematters here set forth orshown-are illustrative and not in a limitingsense.-

I "comprising a tubular Qasing of molded plastic material having an openend and formed with a closed bottom opposite the open end, abatteryretamed in said casing with one terminal :thereof extending shortof i the level of said open'iren'd, .a metallic stripmounted Withinsaidcasingezand resiliently connected -with' the other 5 terminal: of saidbattery, a:-lens cap of'molded plasticxmaterial having 'means tocoversaid casingflopensendpa metallic reflectorseated-to extend intosaidcasing open'end and firmly retained in place by the lens cap, alamp-holder carried by the reflectonto pro.- ject centrally into thecasing, anincandescent lam-p fitted into the reflector andmoun-tedz-inzsaid holder with a terminal thereof ::contacting the first:mentioned battery's-terminal, said= strip; having anintegral-'lyfformedspring blaideend attend: ingxwithin. said casingtopmpening-and: normally inta, flexed-1 position, out of contact with isaid; re: flector, i and an annular :switch member mounted on theexteriorof;lthe casing inwardl-y ofi said casinaopen end-emd mDy eblyreta n d nine movement by said 1ens,cap,-saidswitch member having ;anintegral portion extending .-in;to the casing ope d. fer enga in :sid-smashed? end to flex the latter from said normal position tomakeanelectrical circuit from thebattery; to the am th one-h he refleq q r 0an nd b in s ettecl q eady n thes i phme ber integral portion to permitlimited turning easem n t ermiashli ht; r h hav n -a asin fo m d with anopen end portion, aj'etallicjreflector seated on-the of said openendportion, alens cap removably monntedion said .casing end; p'oriQiorrfi -mll e u in he r il c cr-l n eated cs i a simembe nc r lin sa d aneend pert-ion and retained'for rotary movement there: Qnb ifi ar a, mtall s r ngh ad asternme w thin a c in nds fl tie ermew h .aa' n e a d xe. nd n mal y r n out of contact w trr saidreflecton' said ring memberharms meanse nd n n n l as ng end rion tfl xine saidblad i ni' e ins .aiical circuitfjthrough contact withsaid reflector on rotation? thereof,and means for removably-at taching said cap-to the casing pemendportionwith the ring member 'remainingfree' for limited rot rymovement;saidblade flexingmeans includcamrning *shoe for actuating said twisted'biade'fiee end, the casing open end being slotted for receiving saidshoeto permit'limitdturning said blade flexing- "movement for-making andbreaking the-electric circuit at the reflector.

'- a flashlight torch having acaslngiormed wit hag bulbous openended-portion, a :metallic reflector seatedon the r-im edge ofsaidopenendod portion, a one-piece lens cap removably mounted on said casingopen ended portion firmly securing the reflector in seated position, a,ring member encircling said casing open ended portion and retained forrotary movement thereon by said cap, a metallic spring blade with anintermediate twisted structure adjacent an extreme free end thereofsecured to extend within said casing open ended portion, said extremeblade end forming a contact circuit making and breaking means with saidreflector, said ring member having a shoe extending into the casing openended portion for camming the twisted blade end in effecting said makingof the electric circuit, said casing end portion being slotted forreceiving said shoe so constructed and arranged to limit the rotarymovement of said ring member in making and breaking said contactcircuit.

JOSHUA GORDON LIPPINCOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

